13 Unique Breakfast Sandwiches From Around The US You Need To Try
If these unique breakfast sandwiches from across the U.S. don't make you drool and want to go on a cross-country road trip, we don't know what will. At the very least, some of these creations are sure to inspire your own kitchen experiments. Many of them are fusion dishes that pull ingredients from a variety of cuisine traditions in extremely creative ways.
What makes these breakfast sandwiches unique often starts with a creative bread base, including fun ones like pumpernickel bread, cinnamon rolls, Japanese milk bread, brioche, French toast, and gourmet biscuits. Then, cooks add an egg and another meat or protein you don't often see on a breakfast sandwich, like porchetta, meatloaf, crab cakes, bulgogi, ribeye steak, chorizo, or pimento cheese. Then, come vegetable toppers you rarely see, like fried green tomatoes, pickled vegetables, green onions, sprouts, and banana peppers. Finally, interesting sauces like Hollandaise, fancy jams and butters, pesto, kimchi, flavored aioli, chili crisp, miso maple syrup, and pepper relishes elevate the flavor profile. Suddenly, that sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit at your local fast food place looks sad and ordinary. Brutal truth: it always was. These 13 unique breakfast sandwiches from around the U.S. are about to change your idea of what a breakfast sandwich could truly be.
Spanish Fly
Next time you're looking for a great breakfast sandwich in Seattle, Washington, we think you're going to love the Spanish Fly from Morsel. This breakfast sandwich is a Seattle favorite, and it didn't take us long to figure out why. It's a fresher, European-inspired twist on the breakfast sandwich concept, with a wide variety of gourmet flavor combinations. Depending on what you add and which biscuits you choose as your base, you could potentially have a different sandwich every time you visit, and each one would be delicious.
Morsel is located in the University District of Seattle, and its focus is on craft biscuits and biscuit sandwiches. The first thing you get to do is choose whether you want a buttermilk, cheddar chive, or cheesy biscuit as your sandwich base. The sandwich ingredients start out sounding like an ordinary breakfast sandwich with a fried egg, ham, and cheese. Except the ham is prosciutto (an Italian dry-cured meat), and the cheese is manchego (from Spanish sheep's milk). It's then topped with arugula and Mama Lil's pepper aioli for freshness and spice. For $2 to $3, you can also add "fixins" or sub one for the aioli. These fixins are made in-house and include your choice of four butters (honey, maple, apple, or chocolate hazelnut), four jams (tomato, raspberry, strawberry balsamic, or bacon), pickled jalapeños, fig honey, or herbed goat cheese.
(206) 268-0154
5000 University Way NE Ste D, Seattle, WA 98105
Crab Benny
Since we discovered that a seafood breakfast sandwich was a possibility, we can't get the Crab Benny sandwich at Vicious Biscuit out of our minds. The chain got its start in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, not far from a channel that leads straight to the Atlantic Ocean. It's also an area known for its Atlantic blue crabs, so it seems natural that the restaurant would come up with a way to meld the deliciousness of the ocean into an elevated Southern breakfast sandwich concept.
First, let's look at the parts of this sandwich that feel very Southern. It starts with a big and fluffy buttermilk biscuit, a sunny-side-up (or poached) egg, and a tart fried green tomato. Granted, fried green tomatoes didn't start out Southern, but the South certainly has adopted it and passed it off as its own. Then, the sandwich gets a crab cake or fresh lump crab meat, along with slightly sweet and tangy Hollandaise sauce for its nod to a classic Eggs Benedict. To top it off, there's a dusting of Old Bay seasoning to represent its East Coast history, and a sprinkling of paprika and chives. This sandwich might be a mess to eat, but the flavor experience makes it worth it. And, with the restaurant's generous portions, you certainly won't leave hungry.
Various locations
The Miami Hangover
We have some magic words for you that are going to have you wishing you lived a little closer to Marietta, Georgia. Ready? Here they are: smoked meatloaf breakfast sandwich. Yeah, we knew that would probably get your attention. The Red Eyed Mule only makes its famous Miami Hangover breakfast sandwich once a month, so not even the locals can get it all the time. Not only do some people claim it's the best breakfast sandwich in Georgia, but it has also been featured on lists of the best breakfast sandwiches in the U.S. The Red Eyed Mule is also one of Alton Brown's favorite restaurants, so you know it has to be good.
If we've piqued your interest, let's look a little closer at what this sandwich entails and why the restaurant only serves it 12 times a year. The meatloaf is made with Angus beef, which the restaurant smokes over pecan wood. Considering that it takes around four hours to smoke even a small meatloaf (and all before breakfast), you can imagine why this isn't an everyday thing. The smoked meatloaf is served in a fluffy biscuit, stuffed with an over-easy egg, cheese, and gravy. Once that egg pops, it's going to be messy, but you probably won't even care.
(678) 809-4546
430 South Marietta Pkwy SE, Marietta, GA 30060
Southern Slammer
Miss Shirley's is one of the best places to get brunch in the U.S. and is definitely worth a try when in the Baltimore, Maryland, area. While the ever-popular coconut cream stuffed French toast was featured as one of the best breakfast dishes Guy Fieri tried on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, you certainly don't want to overlook the Southern Slammer breakfast sandwich. In fact, one publication calls it the best breakfast sandwich in the whole country. The flavor combination is what makes it unique and extraordinary, and it will truly knock your socks off.
From the bread choice to the sandwich contents and even the side dish, this house speciality is surprising all around. First, it's made with pumpernickel, which has a richer flavor than traditional breakfast sandwich breads. Plus, pumpernickel pairs perfectly with smashed avocado, another ingredient in the sandwich. However, it goes far beyond avocado toast territory, adding a fried egg, applewood-smoked bacon, and white cheddar cheese. Then, it surprises you again with the tangy flavors of a fried green tomato. It further solidifies itself as Southern decadence, with one of the side choices being grits with bacon, chives, and tomatoes. The other side option isn't shabby either: oniony hash browns.
Multiple locations
Cinnamon roll breakfast sandwich
Not all breakfast sammies are made with bread or biscuits, as BuzzCatz in Orange Beach, Alabama, has proven with its cinnamon roll breakfast sandwich. This cafe claims to have the best breakfast in Alabama and is known for its cinnamon rolls. They often sell out quickly, meaning you might have to wait for another batch, but they're certainly worth it, especially if you've come to try the famed sandwich.
This restaurant already makes a great breakfast as it is, but using its famous cinnamon rolls as a base for its sandwiches takes them to the next level. It comes with fluffy eggs and cheese, and for an upcharge, you can add your choice of meat or vegetables. Pick your pleasure: crisp bacon pieces, ham, split sausage links, patty sausage, veggies, or your preferred combo. As you can imagine, it's messy to eat, but it definitely doesn't disappoint. So, if you find yourself vacationing near Orange Beach or are just passing through, you'll want to put this over-the-top breakfast experience on your agenda.
(251) 980-2899
25689 Canal Rd Ste A, Orange Beach, AL 36561
Bulgogi cheesesteak sandwich
We're all about fusion food, and the bulgogi cheesesteak sandwich at Let's Toast in Phoenix, Arizona, is absolutely genius. This bestseller marries ingredients and flavors from all over the globe to create a breakfast wonder. While the restaurant has plenty of other interesting, unique, and delicious options, this is the one that has become a viral sensation in Arizona. The restaurant even makes it for customers at the local farmer's market on Saturdays.
Flavor and ingredient inspiration for this unique breakfast sandwich come from Japan, the U.S., Korea, and Italy. The base is made from thick, buttery, toasted slices of the restaurant's famous Japanese milk bread that is made in-house. Cheesesteaks come straight out of Philadelphia, but this one uses a Korean-style beef steak called bulgogi along with pan-melted mozzarella cheese (Italy's contribution). Bulgogi has a richer flavor profile than the regular beef used in a cheesesteak sandwich due to its marinade of ingredients like garlic, ginger, sweeteners, and sesame oil. Adding an over-medium egg turns this into a perfectly decadent breakfast sandwich. After the restaurant adds bulgogi BBQ sauce and white sweet mayo, it joins the ranks of messy but delicious breakfast sandwiches.
(623) 349-4155
100 E Camelback Rd Ste 164, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Meraki porchetta
Porchetta isn't just a deli meat that belongs on an Italian sub; it's also right at home on a breakfast sandwich. This herb-and-spice stuffed roasted pork is flavorful and juicy, and it features in the Meraki porchetta sandwich from a food truck in Litchfield, Connecticut, named Meraki. Pro tip: always get the sandwich that a food establishment names after itself. Those who try it often declare it the best breakfast sandwich they've ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
This is another fusion sandwich, with nods to Europe, Asia, and North America. The base is a soft and sweet brioche bun, which is France's contribution, and the tomato is an ingredient you're more likely to find with an English breakfast. The spicy fermented kimchi topping hails from Korean cuisine, and the Sriracha aioli itself is a Thai and Spanish fusion condiment. Oh, and of course, you have crispy and spicy Italian porchetta for your meat, and an egg to top it all off. Just imagine the flavors, spices, and heat this creation is ready to offer you.
(860) 361-9777
239 West St, Litchfield, CT 06759
Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham" children's book has inspired many strangely-colored breakfast dishes for children. If you've ever had green eggs and ham, chances are that they were simply dyed green. However, Satsuma Cafe in New Orleans reimagined the concept in a new way that seems so obvious in retrospect. Its Dr. Seuss breakfast sandwich uses basil pesto to make the eggs green. Brilliant, right? The Dr. Seuss has also been named the best breakfast sandwich in Louisiana, which is a big boast in a city known for its amazing food.
The Dr. Seuss contains scrambled eggs with pesto green, Swiss cheese if you're feeling keen, red onions and shaved Nueske ham, too, along with any bread that pleases you. You could have it with a croissant, or a bagel if you want; you could have it with ciabatta or gluten-free bread; you could even have it with tofu instead. (Sorry, we couldn't resist a little ingredient rhyme there.) We have to admit that the egg isn't as green as those with food dye, but what's more important is to have the flavor balance on point, and this sandwich definitely has that.
Multiple locations
Bistek
When you go to Lapu Lapu for breakfast sandwiches, you go expecting a twist on the norm because it's a restaurant that offers Filipino ingredients and flavors. The bistek sandwich is one of the most unique items on the menu, featuring a meat you don't normally see for breakfast: thinly-sliced, marinated ribeye steak. All the other ingredients make it a fusion dish you don't want to miss. Many customers count it as their favorite sandwich at the shop and sometimes as their favorite sandwich of all time. As such, it's sometimes sold out. So, if you want to try it, you might want to plan to come by early.
There are lots of tangy and flavorful ingredients in many Filipino dishes, which is what you should expect here. For starters, the thinly-sliced ribeye steak is marinated with lemon and soy sauce and topped with pickled onions. Of course, the ever-present fried egg is here to remind you you're eating breakfast. But then, there are also some surprising ingredients, like lettuce and white American cheese sauce. Finally, it gets an extra zing from garlic adobo mayo, which helps add to its deliciousness. There are plenty of substitutions and add-ons to consider as well. For example, you could do scrambled eggs instead of fried or add avocado, tomato, or other meats like Spam. But why mess with perfection?
Multiple locations
The OG breakfast sandwich
We'd not be surprised if you've never had a Chinese breakfast sandwich before. We certainly haven't, but the Asian-owned Q Bakehouse & Market in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has created one that customers adore. It's known as the OG breakfast sandwich, and you want to get there early to get it because it often sells out in the first hour after opening.
The ingredients reimagine the humble American breakfast sandwich in a very new way. The egg, sausage, and cheese might make it look like an ordinary breakfast sandwich, but the flavors are very different. It's yet another on our list that comes on a homemade milk bread bun, and the egg patty is cooked with green onions. Plus, it includes Chinese breakfast sausage and white American cheese. It also comes with cherry tomatoes, scallion ginger fu ru mayo, and a breakfast sauce made from the restaurant's very own proprietary chili crisp.
1608 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Breakfast in Bombay
We're doubting you'd find anything like the Breakfast in Bombay sandwich in the actual city of Bombay, but you will find it at Egg on a Roll in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This sandwich has so much going on that we're having a hard time imagining what it actually tastes like, but it sounds like it maximizes flavor in the best possible way.
This sandwich grabs inspiration from Spain, China, and India, which already sounds both discordant and spectacular. With a name like Egg on a Roll, it's not going to surprise you too much that the sandwich starts out with an egg ... on a roll. Then, it includes an unexpected sausage: chorizo (Spanish). Next, you have a few veggies: red onions, banana peppers, alfalfa sprouts, and arugula. Interestingly, the cooks sprinkle the arugula with olive oil and lemon, so that it brings a bit of acidity to the flavor profile. Finally, it includes a couple of sauces that turn your expectations for this sandwich on its head: chili crunch (Chinese) and a spread made with the Indian spice mix, garam masala.
Multiple locations
The Ubé-Bee
If you're a connoisseur of unusual breads, Egg Drip's Ubé-Bee breakfast sandwich is definitely going to intrigue you. The bread for this sandwich is a Korean milk toast made from a bright purple yam common in the Philippines called an ube (not to be confused with a purple sweet potato). The ube's natural nutty and vanilla flavor is strong and provides more than just color to the bread. However, the restaurant takes things a step further by turning this purple bread into French toast before using it as the sandwich base. Suddenly, you're doubly intrigued, right?
Beyond the powdered-sugar-covered ube French toast bread, this creation has a lot more going for it as well. The eggs, cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, and hashbrown patty inside start out sounding ordinary. Nevertheless, the cooks make it extra special by adding aioli and a rich miso maple syrup. It's a meal that offers a wide variety of flavors and textures: soft and crispy as well as sweet, salty, and savory. If this concept sounds tempting to you and you're in Nashville, Tennessee, you're going to want to find the Egg Drip food truck and give this a try. Although you might want to check the menu before going because it's not always available.
(615) 685-5259
1024 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
Biscuit sammie
We couldn't make this list without including a breakfast sandwich featuring pimento cheese. Though it was originally a Northern spread, the South perfected it. Yet, it's a Midwestern Minnesota chain called The Buttered Tin that has the most unique pimento cheese breakfast sandwich: the Biscuit Sammie. Customers often find it to be the best breakfast sandwich they've had the chance to try.
It's technically a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit, but all the ingredients are reimagined in the best possible way. The Buttered Tin uses a cheddar buttermilk thyme biscuit as the base, and then it's topped with maple fennel sausage, scrambled eggs, and pimento cheese spread. Then, there's one extra ingredient that carries it in an unexpected direction: a three-pepper relish. Something else that's unique about this sandwich is that, despite being on the breakfast menu, it comes with a house salad topped with an apple cider vinaigrette rather than ordinary breakfast sides.
Multiple locations